Scrambling Pa. lawmakers hold unusual session day

HARRISBURG (AP) — The Pennsylvania Legislature is holding an unusual late-week session day as Republicans scramble to advance Gov. Tom Corbett’s agenda before departing Harrisburg for the summer on July 1.

The Senate planned no action Thursday on two Corbett priorities — privatizing the state-controlled wine and liquor sales system and overhauling the state’s large public employee pension systems.

The House Transportation Committee had no action planned on a $2.5 billion Senate transportation funding bill. However, Democratic lawmakers say they’re concerned that Republicans may remove the bill’s traffic fine increases. The increases were designed to provide more than $100 million a year for Pennsylvania’s cash-strapped public transit agencies.

But Republicans say police chiefs were concerned about the size of the increase, including from $100 to $300 for failure to obey a traffic control device.